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overwhelmingly expressed interest in the Master of Science in Nursing:
availability of an advanced practice degree.” Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse
Among the components that make Middle Practitioner Program Format
Georgia State’s degree unique in the University
System of Georgia is the emphasis on All courses in the program are offered fully online
incorporating systems thinking, quality with three full-day intensive/immersion sessions held the
improvement, cost efficiency, project first semester and two full-day intensive/immersion
management, safety and healthcare policy. sessions each following semester.
“The degree is specifically geared to providing a Clinical practice is planned in a variety of settings
skillset of leadership that will allow an advanced and designed to address the program and course objec-
practice nurse to be able to do more with less,” tives. Students will complete 630 clinical practice hours.
said Dr. Darrell Thompson, associate dean of the Upon successful completion of the program, graduates
will be eligible to sit for the American Nurses Creden-
School of Health Sciences. “There are no tialing Center’s (ANCC) AGACNP certification exam.
other programs like this in
Middle Georgia State’s service The program is designed to be completed in five
area.” consecutive semesters.
All coursework in the program is online, but to Course Sequence
be eligible for certification each student must Semester One:
accumulate 500 clinical practice hours while
mentored by NPs or physicians. NURS 5000 Advanced Pathophysiology
NURS 5100 Professional Concepts
Corvey said Navicent Health (formerly The NURS 5200 Advanced Health Assessment/Diagnostic
Medical Center of Central Georgia), Houston
Medical Center, Coliseum Medical Center and the Reasoning
Carl Vinson VA Medical Center have committed
to extending partnerships for clinical experiences Semester Two:
and employment opportunities for Middle NURS 5300 Advanced Pharmacology/Therapeutic
Georgia State graduates.
Interventions
To apply to the degree program, RNs must have NURS 5400 Adult/Gero Acute Care I
bachelor’s degrees and been practicing in the field
for at least a year. The program, which takes about Semester Three:
two years to complete, can admit at least 15 NURS 5500 Research and Evidence Based Practice
students each fall. The School of Health Sciences NURS 5600 Quality/Safety/Improvement Processes
anticipates no difficulties filling slots.
Semester Four:
“This degree really will create a more flexible NURS 6200 Leadership/Management & Healthcare
practitioner who can respond to a changing
healthcare environment,” Corvey said. Policy
NURS 6400 Adult/Gero Acute Care II
Dunn is still thinking about what direction he’d
like to take his career after he finishes the Semester Five:
graduate program. NURS 6500 Adult/Gero Acute Care III
NURS 6600 Project Management in Healthcare
“I have thought about returning to Middle
Georgia State as an instructor,” he said. “The end mga.edu/graduate-studies
goal would be getting a doctorate. So I might just
wait for Middle Georgia State to start a doctoral
program.”
Spring 2016 MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE TODAY 9
